Police Say Man Was Drunk, Caused Mischief

May 14, 2004|The Morning Call

BETHLEHEM

After a night of drinking that ended Thursday morning, 51-year-old James Martucci took a taxi cab home -- but didn't stay there, Bethlehem police said.

Martucci, of 2065 Hopewell Road, Bethlehem, was charged with criminal mischief and public drunkenness after William Starosta of 2923 Cornwall Road called police because Martucci was trying to enter his home, police said.

Starosta said he and his wife were in bed when he heard a noise and then saw Martucci's arm come through a bent window screen at 2 a.m. Thursday. Starosta punched Martucci's arm and yelled at him, police said.

Martucci screamed, "They are trying to kill me," ran to the front of the house, rang the doorbell and urinated on the front porch, police said.

Police said that when they found him, he told them he was just walking around.

Martucci said he was drinking earlier in the night at the North End Republican Club in Allentown and took a cab home, police said. The cab driver told police he dropped off Martucci at his home, but police do not know why Martucci wandered to the Cornwall Road home, one-third of a mile away.